Sound-recording machine.



A1\T0. "i41,500. I Y PATENTBD 0011s, 1903.

, ETR. kJOHNSGN.

SOUND RECORDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 20. 1900.

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N0 MODEL IN Y ` No. 741,500. PATBNTBO OOT.1s,19O3. v 11,11. JOHNSON.

SOUND RECORDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2o, 1900.

No IODBL.

No. 741,500. EATENTED 00T. 13, 1003. E. E. JOHNSON.

SOUND EEOOEDING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JIAN. Z0. 1900.

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'NO MODEL.

Y Z750/Piagge E. Jazorz No. 741,500. Patented october 13, 190s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELDRIDGrEl R. JOHNSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOUND-RECORDING MACHINE..

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 741,500, dated October 13, 1903.

V Application filed January 2d, 1900. Serial No. 2,173. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELDRIDGE R. JOHNSON,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia and State of Penn- 5 sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Recording Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved soundrecording apparatus for recording soundwaves upon a record such as is used upon machines commercially known as the gramophone, but which may also be applicable to other machines of a similar character.

The principal object of my invention is to` provide an improved construction of machine for recording the sound-waves upon the rezo cording material in undulatory lines of substantially even depth, having Y the record formed in the sides of the grooves.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting and truing the z 5 sound-recording mechanism and for planing showing a slight modification, which is em-V ployed when the planing-tool is used before the record operation. Fig. 4 is al1-enlarged detail perspective of the planing-tool and its holder. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the tool-holder. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective vView yofone of the clamps for holding the record-tablet on its supportingtable. l

In carrying out my invention I provide a supporting-frame, comprising a main baseplate A and the side plates'B B. Fitted in 5o an opening formed in the center of the baseplate A is a spindle C, which tapers slightly toward its upper end and is provided with a.

.pointed head c. Around the lower portion of the said spindle- C is a flange c', which rests. upon the base A around the opening A and 'has formed on its upper surface a ball-race adapted to receive a series of balls a', which are held in position by means of a sleeve C. Rigidl y secured to the upper end ofthe sleeve Cv is the turn-table D, having the flange d 6o surrounding the upper portion of the said sleeve C,whichmay be keyed or otherwise secured to the said'sleeve, so as to revolve therej with. The central portion of the turn-table D is provided with a circular odset, in which the centering-disk D is iitted, the said centering-disk beingprovided in its center with a small opening d', into which iits the pointed head of the spindle C, thus forming a pivotal bearing for the upper end of this spindle. 7o The disk D' is also provided with an annular boss. in its center, adapted to iit in an openwithstand the rubbing action of the reproducingv-style without injuring or defac'ing the record for the purpose of testing the said recordv before the process of duplicating and multiplying-the same is continued, as it is 9o essential in the manufacture of records to be able to ascertain at once upon the formation of an original record before the talent emt ployed leaves the laboratory whether the record is suciently perfect for commercial purposes. j

A number of slots e is provided "inthe periphery of the turn-table D, into which fit 'the clamps F for securely holding the record in position on the turn-table. These clamps F roo comprise a head f, having a knife-edge f on their inner edges, adapted to take into the material forming the record. The lower portion of the head f is reduced, as atfg, and fits in the slotted opening e formed in the turntable, and projecting from the bottom of the head j' is a screw-threaded shank f3, adapted to receive the nut f4 for securing the said clamps in their adjusted positions.

Mounted in the side B B', on one side of the central spindle C, is a shaft G, carrying the worm-wheel G', located centrally between the two side frames. Rigidly secured to the sleeve C' is a Worm-wheel I-I, adapted to mesh with the worm-wheel G', carried by the shaft G: On the outer projecting end of the shaft G is a gear G2, which meshes With an intermediate gear G3, journaled on the frame B, which in turn meshes with a gear G4, carried on the end of the screw-shaft I. On the lower end of the sleeve C' is rigidly secured the driving-pulley I-I, which is connected by means of a suitable belt to the driving mechanism of the machine. This pulley H also carries a belt 71, which is connected to the spindle of a governor J, which may be of any of the ordinary constructions used for this class of machines. On the governor-spindle is a sleevej, to which is connected one end of the springs which carry the governor-balls, and on the lower end of the sleevejis formed a disk j', on the upper surface of which bears a brake-leverjz, which is pivoted to the governor-frame. This brake-lever jg projects upwardly and has pivotally secured to its outer end a rod 7s, which is connected with the mechanism of an indicating-dial K, which dial shows during the operation of the machine the number of revolutions of the turntable.

Journaled in the side frames B B are the horizontal shafts I I. The shaft I is screwthreaded for a portion of its length, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and is driven by means of the gearing heretofore described. The shaft I is stationary and carries the supporting-arm L, which is mounted thereon by means of the sleeve Z, adapted to lit loosely around the said shaft I. The other end of the supporting-arm L is provided with a slot through which passes the segmental arm M, having on its lower end screw-threads adapted to engage with the screw-threads provided on the shaft I, heretofore described. The setscrew m is provided for holding the segment M in its adjusted position. In the central portion of the supporting-arm L, I provide a longitudinal slot N, through which pass the bolts n n', the said bolts being secured to the spectacle O, which is adapted to hold the sound-box during the recording process and theplaning-tool during the planing and truing process. Each of the screws n n are provided on their upper ends with the hand-nuts n.2 n3. An adj Listing-screw o passes through the center of the slot N and enters into the opening tion prevents any sagging of the movable arm L in the event of the screw-threads on the shaft I being irregular.

When it is desired to plane the surface of the record-tablet E before the recording operation, I employ a tool such as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, which can be inserted in the opening o' of the spectacle O and secured therein by means of the set-screw 0. This tool comprises a holder P, cylindrical in form, having an opening provided transversely through one end thereof for the reception of the cutting-tool p. A set-screw p2 passes longitudinally through the center of the cylinder Pand impinges against the tool p for holding the saule in position. The end of the tool p is provided with a diamondpointp', such as is used in machines of this character.

In operation the record-blank E is placed in position on the turn-table D, being centered by means of the annular shoulder of the centering-disk D entering a depression formed in the lower side of the said record, and the clamps F are then adjusted so as to tightly clamp the periphery of the record-disk and hold it firmly in position. The recording sound-box,which is not illustrated in this case, but Which may be of any of the Wellknown constructions, is placed in position in the spectacle O and adjusted by means of the set-screw o. Then this operation has been completed, the recording-stylus will be in contact with the upper surface of the, recordblank, and the motor is now started, which revolves the sleeve C and the turn-table D and also transmits motion through the medium of the Worm-gear G H and the intermeshing gears Ga G3 G4 to the screw-shaft I. The segment M having the screw-threaded end, as heretofore described, being in contact with the threaded portion of the shaft I will feed the supporting-arm L, carrying the sound-box toward the center of the recorddisk, andthe record-grooves will be recorded therein. The sound-box can be easily and readily adjusted with relation to the recordblank by means of the set-screws n n', and as soon as the record has been completed the supporting-arm L can be raised from contact with the screw-shaft I and the sound-box removed. A reproducing sound-box can then be inserted in the spectacle O for the purpose of testing the said record, so as to ascertain IOO IIO

whether it is sufficiently perfect for commer'- cial purposes.

Before the recording operation it will be found necessary to plane off the uppe'r surface of the record, so as to make the same perfectly true and even, and in order to accomplish this the tool-holder P, carrying the planing-tool p, can be inserted in the spectacle 0 and the entire surface of the record planed ed, so as to insure of its being perj fectly true and level.

port a record-tablet, a horizontally-disposedk rod journaled in the frame of the machine above the record-table on one side of the center ofjsaid table, a screw-threaded shaft journaled in the main frame on the other side' of the table center` parallel to the first-mentioned rod, atransversely-disposed carrying-arm loosely -mounted on the rod so as to slide freely thereon, a half-nut secured adjacent the free end of the said carrying-arm adapted to rest' 'a recording sound-box carried by the carry-A ing-arm, and means for adjusting the half-nut to regulate the height of the recorder, substantially as described. Y

2. In a sound-recordingv machine the combination of a rotary table adapted to support a record-tablet, a horizontally-disposed rod journaled in the machinelframe above the table on one side of its center, a screw-threaded shaft journaled in the frame on the other side of the table center, means for revolving said screw-threaded shaft, a carrying-arm loosely mounted on the first-mentioned rod so as to slide freely thereon, a threaded half-nut secured to the other end of said carrying-arm adapted to rest upon and engage the screwthreaded shaft, means for adj ustingthe halfnut vertically to raise or lower this end of the carrying-arm, a spectacle carried by the carrying-arm adapted to support a sound-box or other recording instrument and means for adjusting the said spectacle fon the carrier, substantially as described.

3. The combination with 'a revolving turn-v table, of a supporting arm or carriage arranged above said turn-table, means for moving said carriage in aline parallel to a-radius of the table, a spectacle carried by the carriage adapted to support a sound-box, vmeans for adjusting the said spectacle laterally on the carriage, and means for the vertical adjustment of said spectacle, for the purpose described. j

4. In a sound-recording machine, the combination of a tapering spindle rigidly supported in the frame of the machine, ball-bearings supported in a race formed on the lower end of said spindle, a loose sleeve fitting around the spindle and supported on the ballbearings carried thereby, a turn-table secured to the upper end of said sleeve,a worm-wheel secured on the said sleeve below the turntable, a spiral gear mounted on a horizontallydisposed shaft adapted to engage with the worm-gear, a sliding carriage supported above the turn-table, a screw-threaded shaft for feeding the said sliding carriage, gearing connecting'the screw-threaded shaft with the spiral-gear shaft and means for driving the vertical sleeve and turn-table, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the revolving turntable of a supporting arm or carriage arranged above' said table, means for moving the said carriagein a line parallel to a radius of the table, a slotted opening formed in the center of the carriage, aspectaclelocated on the under side of the carriage, set-screws secured to said spectacle adapted to pass through the slotted opening, and hand-nuts provided on the upper ends of the set-screws for adjusting the position of the spectacle, substantially v as described.

6. The combination with the revolving turntable, of a supporting arm or carriage loosely mounted at` one end on a horizontal shaft arranged above the turn-table, a shaft, I, ar-

IOO

ranged parallel to the main shaft, means for revolving said screw-shaft, a pair of parallel bars arranged on each' side of the screw-shaft, a half-nut carried by the carriage adapted to rest upon the screw-threaded shaft, and a pin passing through said half-nut adapted to rest at each end upon the parallel bars,substan tially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of January, A'. D. 1900.

ELDRIDGE R. JOHNSON.

IIol 

